Whether you call it the festive season or the silly season, long summer days and super hot weather make it the perfect time of year for entertaining and that means delicious food and festive drinks.
With inspiration from Queensland’s only 24-hour Woolworths and Dan Murphy’s at Skygate, we’ve compiled five super summery beverages that are sure to impress your guests.
Watermelon Christmas Cocktail
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Woolworths
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- ½ cup caster sugar
- ½ cup fresh watermelon
- 3 cups H2 melon Watermelon Water
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1 bunch mint leaves
- 750mL soda water
Dan Murphy’s
- ½ cup Malibu
- Ice
Method:
1. Juice the orange and lemon and place the juice and caster sugar into a large bowl, stirring until well combined. Stand for 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
2. Trim the watermelon and cut into thin wedges. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until required.
3. Add the chilled Watermelon Water, cranberry juice, Malibu and mint leaves to the orange juice mixture and stir until combined.
4. Pour into a tall jug with 4 cups of ice. Add the soda water and stir until combined.
5. Stand melon wedges in short glasses and fill with the cocktail. Serve immediately.
Easy French Martini
Serves 1
Ingredients:
Woolworths
- 60ml pineapple juice
- 1 lemon or raspberries, to garnish
Dan Murphy’s
- 15ml Chambord Liqueur
- 30ml Finlandia Vodka
- Ice
Method:
1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice and pour in all ingredients.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into martini glasses and garnish with a lemon twist or fresh raspberry.
Mango Bellini
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Woolworths
- 1 ripe mango
- 2 passionfruit, halved
Dan Murphy’s
- 1/3 cup Campari
- 2 tbsp grenadine
- 1 bottle of Prosecco, chilled
- Ice
Method:
1. Cut cheeks from mangoes and scoop flesh into a blender.
2. Sieve passionfruit pulp to remove seeds and add to the blender. Blitz until smooth.
3. Stir in Campari and grenadine.
4. Fill glasses with crushed ice and divide the mango mixture among them.
5. Top with Prosecco and serve (garnish with a slice of fresh mango for extra mango-ness!)
Classic Eggnog
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Woolworths
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 3 cups full cream milk
- 300ml thickened cream
- Ground nutmeg to serve
Dan Murphy’s
- 1/3 cup Bourbon or Cognac
- 1/3 cup dark rum
Method:
1. Separate egg yolks (setting aside the whites) and combine with ½ cup caster sugar, vanilla bean paste and salt in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
2. Whisk constantly for 5 minutes, or until mixture is pale and thick. Whisk in milk, bourbon and rum, then remove from heat.
3. Beat egg whites and remaining ½ cup caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually pour in the warm custard mixture whisking to combine.
4. In a clean bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Whisk into eggnog mixture. Refrigerate eggnog for up to 1 day.
5. Whisk eggnog again just before serving. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with ground nutmeg.
Peppermint White Christmas Cocktail
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Woolworths
- 30ml thickened cream
- Candy cane(s)
Dan Murphy’s
- 30ml vodka
- 30ml peppermint schnapps
- 30ml white creme de cacao
- Ice
Method:
1. Pour the thickened cream, vodka, schnapps and white crème de cacao into a cocktail shaker over ice.
2. Cover and shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker has frosted.
3. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a candy cane to serve.
Also, if you’re in need of some fancy new cocktail glasses, stirrers or a cocktail shaker, pop your head into TK Maxx at Skygate Home & Life or Wheel & Barrow at DFO Brisbane.
If you need even more beverage inspiration, check out the ‘12 Cocktails of Christmas’ by Dan Murphy's.
Check out Dan Murphy’s trading hours here and more info about DFO Brisbane here.
Cheers!